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boshu2/agentops · updated May 6, 2026

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$npx skills add https://github.com/boshu2/agentops --skill beads
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summary

Graph-based issue tracker that survives conversation compaction.

skill.md

Beads - Persistent Task Memory for AI Agents

Graph-based issue tracker that survives conversation compaction.

Overview

bd (beads) replaces markdown task lists with a dependency-aware graph stored in git.

Key Distinction:

  • bd: Multi-session work, dependencies, survives compaction, git-backed
  • Task tools (TaskCreate/TaskUpdate/TaskList): Single-session tasks, status tracking, conversation-scoped

Decision Rule: If resuming in 2 weeks would be hard without bd, use bd.

Operating Rules

  • Treat live bd reads as authoritative. Use bd show, bd ready, bd list, and bd export to inspect current tracker state. Do not treat .beads/issues.jsonl as the primary decision source when live bd data is available.
  • Treat .beads/issues.jsonl as a git-friendly export artifact. If the repo tracks .beads/issues.jsonl and you mutate tracker state, refresh it explicitly with bd export -o .beads/issues.jsonl.
  • After closing or materially updating a child issue, reconcile the open parent in the same session. Update stale "remaining gap" notes immediately, and close the parent when the child resolved the parent's last real gap.
  • If bd ready returns a broad umbrella issue, do not implement directly against vague parent wording. First narrow the remaining gap into an execution-ready child issue, then land the child and reconcile the parent.
  • Normalize stale queue items instead of silently skipping them. Rewrite broad or partially absorbed beads to the actual remaining gap.
  • Use this post-mutation sequence when tracker state changed:
bd ...                              # mutate tracker state
bd export -o .beads/issues.jsonl    # if tracked in git
bd vc status
bd dolt commit -m "..."             # if tracker changes are pending
bd dolt push                        # only if a Dolt remote is configured

Prerequisites

  • bd CLI: Version 0.34.0+ installed and in PATH
  • Git Repository: Current directory must be a git repo
  • Initialization: bd init run once (humans do this, not agents)

Examples

Skill Loading from /vibe

User says: /vibe

What happens:

  1. Agent loads beads skill automatically via dependency
  2. Agent calls bd show <id> to read issue metadata
  3. Agent links validation findings to the issue being checked
  4. Output references issue ID in validation report

Result: Validation report includes issue context, no manual bd lookups needed.

Skill Loading from /implement

User says: /implement ag-xyz-123

What happens:

  1. Agent loads beads skill to understand issue structure
  2. Agent calls bd show ag-xyz-123 to read issue body
  3. Agent checks dependencies with bd output
  4. Agent closes issue with bd close ag-xyz-123 after completion

Result: Issue lifecycle managed automatically during implementation.

Troubleshooting

Problem Cause Solution
bd command not found bd CLI not installed or not in PATH Install bd: brew install bd or check PATH
"not a git repository" error bd requires git repo, current dir not initialized Run git init or navigate to git repo root
"beads not initialized" error .beads/ directory missing Human runs bd init --prefix <prefix> once
Issue ID format errors Wrong prefix or malformed ID Check rigs.json for correct prefix, follow <prefix>-<tag>-<num> format

Reference Documents

how to use beads

How to use beads on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add beads
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/boshu2/agentops --skill beads

The skills CLI fetches beads from GitHub repository boshu2/agentops and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/beads

Reload or restart Cursor to activate beads. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /beads) or your agent's skill management interface.

⚠

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

Additional Resources

›View source code on GitHub›Skills CLI documentation›Learn more about Cursor›What are agent skills?

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Use Cases▌

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

✓

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

✓

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

✓

Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster

Stakeholder Communication

Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations

Example

Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement

✓

Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead

Implementation Guide▌

Prerequisites

  • ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
  • ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
  • ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
  • ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels

Time Estimate

30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install product management skill
  2. 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
  3. 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
  4. 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
  5. 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
  6. 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
  7. 7.Share effective prompts with product team

Common Pitfalls

  • ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
  • ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
  • ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
  • ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
  • ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements

Best Practices▌

✓ Do

  • +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
  • +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
  • +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
  • +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
  • +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
  • +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition

✗ Don't

  • −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
  • −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
  • −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
  • −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
  • −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture

💡 Pro Tips

  • ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
  • ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
  • ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
  • ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs

When to Use This▌

✓ Use When

Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.

Learning Path▌

  1. 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
  2. 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
  3. 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
  4. 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
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general reviews

Ratings

4.5★★★★★62 reviews
  • ★★★★★Meera Thompson· Dec 24, 2024

    Useful defaults in beads — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

  • ★★★★★Kwame Flores· Dec 24, 2024

    Registry listing for beads matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • ★★★★★Naina Wang· Dec 16, 2024

    Keeps context tight: beads is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Soo Wang· Dec 12, 2024

    I recommend beads for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Dev Mehta· Dec 4, 2024

    beads is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★Kwame Torres· Nov 23, 2024

    beads reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • ★★★★★Zaid White· Nov 15, 2024

    Keeps context tight: beads is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Naina Li· Nov 15, 2024

    I recommend beads for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Naina Shah· Nov 7, 2024

    Registry listing for beads matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • ★★★★★Meera Nasser· Oct 26, 2024

    beads reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

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